The Knicks Win The NBA Cup

 

After defeating the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Cup Finals last night in Las Vegas, the New York Knicks have been crowned their first championship since 1973. Although it isn't the Larry O'Brien Trophy, it's still something to feel accomplished about. 

The Knicks got off to a slow 2-3 start this season, but since Halloween, New York has won 17 of their last 21 games including 6 in a row. In addition, New York is doing this without Miles McBride and Landry Shamet off the bench and a couple of starters not 100% healthy.  

The Knicks got to Vegas after winning Group C in the East, defeating the Raptors to go to Vegas, and then defeating the Magic in the semifinals on Saturday Night. The NBA Cup MVP went to none other than Jalen Brunson, but the supporting cast played a huge role as well. 

Just last night we saw the bench catch fire. Tyler Kolek played his best professional game yet with 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, with key minutes late in the game as well. Under Tom Thibodeau, I don't think Kolek would've seen the court nearly as much as he did last night under Mike Brown. 

With Deuce McBride sidelined, Tyler Kolek is making the most of his opportunity. Jordan Clarkson lived up to his expectations when the Knicks signed him this previous summer. Clarkson had a couple of clutch threes late in the game along with the best plus/minus on the team as well. 

Who can forget about Mitchell Robinson when he grabs 15 rebounds in just 18 minutes. Robinson was huge on the boards for New York with 10 of the 15 rebounds coming as offensive boards. 

The starters balled out, but the bench sealed the deal during the Knicks first ever NBA Cup Championship. Just 25 games into the regular season, the Knicks look to be in pretty good shape as we approach 2026. 

Fix the NBA Regular Season

 

As the NBA playoffs continue, the action has been better than ever and significantly more intense than the regular season. The question now looms, what can the NBA do to improve its struggling regular season?

I believe the NBA should cut down the number of games in a season. Currently each team plays 82 games and with the NBA Cup, some teams could be playing more than this amount. I propose that the NBA should cut the season down to somewhere around 65 games. 

For players, the season is a marathon, not a sprint. With more games in a season, players are more likely to get injured and often star players will sit out games due to this reason. With less games in a season, teams will have more days off, more time to recover, and more. 

With less than 82 games, each game will bring a different meaning. It will make each game much more meaningful to the playoff race. It will give players more of an incentive to compete every game and make the games more enjoyable to watch. 

The NBA playoffs has been unbelievably entertaining with all of the close games going on. Also, I believe that just the simple comparison of the playoffs to the regular season is astronomically different. 

I think that a shortened regular season benefits almost everyone involved. Players benefit and fans enjoy the games more. What more can you ask for? This is the solution that the NBA needs to implement as soon as possible. 

New Face of the NBA?

 

Is Anthony Edwards the new face of the NBA? After taking down the Luka Doncic, Lebron James, and the rest of the Lakers in 5 games, Edwards is putting the rest of the league on notice. 

After a trip to the Western Conference Finals a year ago, Edwards and the Wolves are hungry for more. Edwards has been beating legends one after the other. Last playoffs, the Wolves took down Kevin Durant and the Suns, and Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets.

This year Edwards is doing more of the same after taking down Lebron James and has the chance to matchup with Steph Curry and the Warriors in the second round. Since entering the league in 2020, Edwards had his best season to date this year.

Averaging a career high 28 points along with 6 rebounds and 4 assists, Ant-Man has asserted himself along with the best in the NBA. People often forget that Edwards is just 23 years old in his fifth season in the NBA. It's possible that we haven't even seen the best of Ant-Man just yet.

Edwards is definitely one of the most vocal players throughout the NBA. His constant celebrations and trash talking make him a very enjoyable player to watch from a fan's perspective. 

Coming out of college at the University of Georgia and his first couple seasons in the NBA, Edwards was known for his monstrous dunks, but as he has developed in the league he has acquired a much more well-rounded skillset. 

Another thing that Edwards has transitioned into is a leader. After being drafted to a Timberwolves team lead by Karl Anthony-Towns and other veterans, Edwards was the young guy just blossoming into his role. Now with KAT in New York and a lot of experience in the NBA, Ant has certainly acquired the title of being the leader of this squad from Minnesota. 

With the Thunder being the frontrunners in the West throughout the regular season, I believe the Wolves have the best chance of knocking off this powerhouse. Playoff Ant is slowly but surely becoming a real thing and for opposing teams, it is a not a sight they want to run into. 

The Thunder are Unbelievable

 

Following a 68 win regular season, the Thunder have started the playoffs scorching hot as they are currently sitting on a 3-0 lead in their first round matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies. 

Oklahoma City cruised past almost every team they played this season and they are continuing to dominate in the postseason. The Thunder finished 16 games ahead of the #2 seeded Rockets in the West and had the best overall record in the NBA this season. 

Shai-Gilgeous Alexander is the leader of this team and the frontrunner for his first MVP after leading the league in points per game, shooting over 51% from the field. Accompanied by Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City has arguably the best depth and rotation in the NBA. 

After falling down at one point by 29 points last night to Memphis, OKC stormed back with a controlling second half, outscoring the Grizzlies by 35 points and taking Game 3 on the road. 

No matter the differential, the Thunder can never be counted out. Lots of critics across the association have a main critique about this team: they are too young. Their youth and inexperience hasn't seemed to bother them so far and I don't think it will play a big role for the next rounds to come. 

Disregarding a potential playoff run or exit in the upcoming rounds, the question this offseason for the Thunder will be how they can possibly get any better? OKC has a ton of draft capital and depth to spend this offseason to acquire a superstar that can pair well with SGA. 

Their flexibility is remarkable and has been on the rise for some time now with Sam Presti as the General Manager. Oklahoma City really has the resources to acquire almost any player in the NBA, and even after a trade they will still have other available assets. 

All in all, OKC is in a phenomenal position to be in. Yes, they are going for a championship this year and have a great opportunity to capture the title, but if this year fails, the plan for this offseason is clear: pair Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with another superstar. 

NBA, Wake Up!

 

The NBA just received one of the worst ratings they have ever received for their abysmal All Star Weekend in San Francisco. After changing the platform multiple times, nothing has worked for the NBA. So what's next?

During the same time, the NHL had its revamped All Star break that caught national attention. They turned their All Star format from a skills competition and a mini tournament between the four divisions into an international showdown between four different countries. 

Like the NBA, NHL players often wouldn't put their best effort into the all star games in the past. But this year was different. The official name of the tournament was called Four Nations Face Off. It was comprised of the best players from the US, Canada, Finland, and Sweden. 

The round robin tournament took place over a week and got people very excited about the sport. The players put everything on the line even though there was no incentive to playing besides representing your respective country. 

The number one concern for players over All Star Weekend has always been injuries, but when you put your nation's colors on, all of those concerns are left behind. It was a great tournament and a great turnaround from the NHL. They turned a usual underwhelming All Star Weekend into a playoff intensity tournament for the players and fans. 

On the other hand, the NBA saw its ratings fall off the charts. No one was excited about the usual All Star festivities and especially the game itself. Watching stars play basically a pickup basketball game with no one putting in any effort or trying is flat out boring to watch. It's hard to get excited about something that has no hype whatsoever. 

The NBA should look at the NHL as an example of what they should implement. There are multiple ways they can change All Star Weekend. One is by adopting the four nations format from the NHL. Getting four different countries in a tournament would get the fans excited and give the players an incentive to represent their own countries. 

Another option is to do a United States versus the rest of the world game. Imagine international players like Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, and more taking on the best from the United States. The International game has vastly improved in recent history, so this would definitely incorporate a lot of competition and excitement. 

Whichever one of those methods it is, the NBA has to do something to fix their weekend. The NHL did an amazing job and even got viewers that didn't watch hockey in the first place to tune in as well. It's clear, the NBA can't keep this format any longer. 

Part 1: My Underrated Hoopers

 

While the NBA is constantly dominated and headlined by the top superstars like Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and LeBron James, what consistently goes under the radar is the underrated hoopers. Here are five NBA players that I believe deserve more credit:

1. Deni Avdija, Portland Trail Blazers 

After being selected with the 9th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Avdija started his career with Washington where things did not go as quite planned. The Israeli forward went on to spend four years in DC and then was traded this past offseason to Portland. 

Deni struggled to put up consistent numbers in his time with Wizards and both sides agreed it was time for a change. Boy did that change help. Avdija has turned into one of the top players on a Trail Blazers team that does not receive much national or media attention at all. 

Avdija averages around 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists for Portland. Although the Blazers are currently in a rebuild mode, sitting near the bottom of the Western Conference, Avdija certainly should be a prioritized piece for this franchise moving forward. 

2. Norman Powell, Los Angeles Clippers

When most people think of the Clippers, James Harden and Kawhi Leonard come to mind, which leaves Norman Powell to go under the radar. Powell, now in his 10th NBA season, is having his best overall season by far. 

With Leonard's injuries, Powell has been the underrated second option for the Clips this season. What people will be shocked to hear is that Powell is currently leading the Clippers in points per game, averaging 24 a night and shooting almost 50% from the field. This is his best average throughout his career and has also became a defensive pest averaging around a steal per game. 

Los Angeles currently finds themselves in a playoff position, but the guy that hasn't gotten the credit that he deserves quite yet is Norman Powell. Now on his third NBA team, Powell has found a home in LA and should be considered for an All-Star reserve spot as well. 

3. Miles "Deuce" McBride, New York Knicks

Although his averages aren't nearly as high as the previous two players listed, McBride deserves a lot more credit from the NBA world. On a New York Knicks team that is nationally covered all the time, Deuce often goes overlooked. 

It's hard to stand out when the Knicks starting lineup is what it is. McBride is always the first guy to come off the bench and always immediately provides New York a spark. From being a second-round pick a couple of years ago, the guard out of West Virginia went very much under the radar. 

McBride spent a good amount of time in the G-League for the Knicks, but eventually worked his way up and earned a three-year contract with New York. McBride gives the Knicks the guard depth in which they don't have a lot of on an everyday basis. The Knicks would have one of the worst benches in the league if McBride was somewhere else. 

4. Mark Williams, Charlotte Hornets

Although he has had to battle through lots of injuries, Mark Williams has taken massive strides since coming into the NBA three years ago. From his rookie season to now, Williams has almost doubled his scoring stats. 

Williams averages almost a double-double, 15 points and 9 rebounds a game, this season with the Hornets.

On a struggling and very young Charlotte team, Williams has taken over as the starting center. The 7 foot center is shooting over 60% from the field and is even adding some assists to his game as well. 

On a Charlotte team that is solely headlined by LaMelo Ball, the supporting cast really goes under the radar. Despite the Hornets record, Williams has become one of the most underrated big men in the NBA. 

5. Malik Beasley, Detroit Pistons 

Many people may not realize this but, Beasley is currently second in the NBA in three pointers made behind Anthony Edwards. Beasley only trails Edwards by 15 three pointers made, yet he has played over 400 less minutes this season. 

Beasley, shooting around 41% from deep, has found a home with a young Pistons squad in Detroit. 

Through his nine years in the league, Beasley has struggled to stay healthy, but this season he has played in all of the Pistons 47 games so far. 

Beasley has been a huge factor towards the Pistons early season success that we haven't seen in quite some time. Detroit hasn't made the postseason since 2019, but with Beasley's help and their current status as the 8 seed, that all can soon change. 

Midseason Report Card: New York Knicks

 

It's hard to believe, but the New York Knicks have officially reached the midway point of their regular season after playing their 41st game a couple nights ago. The season has been a rollercoaster to say the least, so let's recap and talk about it. 

New York enters their matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers tonight with a 26-15 record, good enough for third place in the Eastern Conference. After starting the season with a record of 5-6, the Knicks have completely turned it around and have won 21 of their last 30 games. 

The Knicks are headlined by their two stars: Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. Since being traded to New York, Towns has been putting up the best numbers in his entire career. Along with averaging over 25 points per game, he's grabbing almost 14 rebounds a game as well. 

Jalen Brunson is also having a career season, averaging almost 26 points per game compiled nearly 8 assists a game as well. The Knicks dynamic duo is putting the league on notice. The rest of the starting lineup isn't too bad also with each player averaging at least 14 points per game. 

A case could be made for the Knicks to potentially have 3-4 all stars this season. The major concern that the Knicks are still dealing with which was headlined before the season even began is the lack of depth. Recently, New York has been only using an 8-9 man rotation with their bench players accounting for barely any minutes whatsoever. 

On the other hand, the minutes in which the starters are taking on is starting to add up. We've seen multiple injury scares over the past few games to both Brunson and Towns. New York is still waiting for Mitchell Robinson to come back and have really made no other improvements to their depth besides the signing of Landry Shamet. 

New York has just about three weeks before the trade deadline to decide what areas need to be addressed. A potential injury to one starter could take a huge toll on the rotation itself. Despite the amazing record through 41 games, depth is a key issue that needs to be looked more into. 

Potentially giving more minutes to rookies Tyler Kolek and Pacome Dadiet could help out the rotation. The Knicks seem to be more focused on letting them improve their skillset in the G-League, but it could be time sooner than later to give them a bigger role in the NBA. 

It has been a successful start to the season for New York, but the road only gets tougher from here on out. The Knicks are faced with one of the toughest strength of schedules for their final 41 games. Their resilience as a team will be put on full display as we enter the second half of the 2024-25 NBA season. 

Slow Start for the Knicks

 

The Knicks have had some tough sledding to open up the season as their 5-6 record dictates. After just one game away from an Eastern Conference Final berth last season, the new look Knicks have struggled to figure it out through their first 11 games. 

New York is working through some growing pains to start the season as they experiment with their newly developed team from this offseason. With the addition of stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges, and the subtractions of Julius Randle and others, the team might take a little bit to gel together. 

Despite their 5-6 start, the Knicks still find themselves in the top half of the Eastern Conference standings. Most of the teams around the are also experiencing similar difficulties. Now would be a perfect time to capitalize off of this and build a steady lead in the standings early in the calendar year. 

One of the key flashing concerns the Knicks have is their depth. Outside of their starting five and Miles McBride, no other Knick has really contributed all too much. However, they are experiencing some injuries with Mitchell Robinson and Precious Achiwua sidelined. 

Ultimately, once these guys return New York will be in much better shape, but some players need to step up in both of their absences. I think it would really be beneficial to see a more increased role from rookies Tyler Kolek and Pacome Dadiet. 

We have yet to really see what they are capable of and the only way we can see is if their minutes are heightened. The best teams in the NBA not only have a great caliber starting five, but also key guys that come off the bench and play good and meaningful minutes. 

The Knicks will take on the Brooklyn Nets in back to back games coming up and one more home game against the Wizards before heading west. For New York, these games must be taken advantage of. It will go a long way in gaining momentum for their upcoming challenging road trip. 

The NBA Finals is Set

 

The NBA Finals is ready to tip off in just two days as it will feature the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks. The Celtics had an historic year and were the odds on favorites to win the Eastern Conference. The Mavericks, on the other hand, were a surprise team to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals. 

The Mavericks become only the second ever number 5 seed to make the NBA Finals and the first since the Miami Heat in 2020. After beating the Clippers in six games, the Thunder in six games, and the Timberwolves in five games, the Mavs have advanced to their first finals since 2011. 2011 was their one and only other appearance in the finals. 

The Celtics had a much easier journey to this point than the Mavericks did as they breezed their way through the Eastern Conference. They were met with a lot of looming injuries to their opponents as they defeated the Heat in five games without Jimmy Butler, the Cavs in five games after Donovan Mitchell missed the final two games of the series, and swept the Pacers with Tyrese Haliburton missing the last two games of the series as well. 

Despite the paths that these two teams took, the storylines for this series could not get any bigger. Obviously, it's the NBA Finals, nothing gets bigger than this in the basketball world. But what we are really excited to see is Kyrie Irving back in Boston once again. Irving told the Boston fans that he would be re-signing with the Celtics back in 2019, not on the other side of a finals matchup in 2024. 

Since the end of the 2019 season, Boston fans have treated Irving with anything but respect and have fully displayed their pure hatred for Kyrie after his comments that were purely lies to them. I'm looking forward to seeing how he responds to the hostile Boston crowd for multiple games in this series. 

For years on end this duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have struggled to obtain an 18th banner for the Celtics, but this year will be their best chance. This is the best Celtics team since 2008, the last time they won the NBA Finals, when they are fully healthy. Getting back Kristaps Porzingis is series changing for this team. 

The Mavs have been on a great run this postseason after running into superstar after superstar looking to eliminate them. Facing Tatum and Brown will be nothing new for these Mavs with their experience this playoffs. I believe that the duo of Doncic and Irving is more-seasoned and outweighs the duo of Brown and Tatum. Both teams have extremely good depth and will need it if they want to lockdown the Larry O'Brien Trophy. I expect a great series between these two teams that will hopefully go six or seven games.

The Knicks are Eliminated

The New York Knicks were eliminated this past Sunday after an unfortunate Game 7 loss to the Indiana Pacers. The Knicks simply did not have enough as they just continued to be decimated by injury after injury after pushing Indiana to a cinematic seven game series. 

Anyone who argues that injuries did not play a large role in this series, or Indiana was simply the better team is just wrong. A healthy Knicks team beats that Indiana team in 5 games and I am confident on that one. Sure injuries are apart of every sport, but this many injuries to one team in one playoff run is unheard of. 

Jalen Brunson, even though most of us knew, has emerged to the rest of the basketball world as a superstar and has completely silenced the critics. He literally gave it his all as the only thing that was stopping him from giving it 100 percent was fracturing his hand in the 3rd quarter of Game 7. 

The amount of injuries the Knicks had is painful to list, but next season when all the guys are back and ready, the league is going to be put on notice. Now that the offseason is upon the Knicks, they really should keep most of this squad together. We really only saw a tiny sample size of what this team can do when fully healthy and it was scary. I believe Randle, Anunoby, and Brunson played 15 games together and in that time they lost one game. 

Anunoby is a pending free agent, so re-signing him I believe is the number one thing the Knicks need to be focused on. Extending Jalen Brunson should also be a topic of discussion but I believe they are close in discussion talks already. And then essentially keeping the core of this team together is what the Knicks should be focusing on as well. 

I don't expect and would understand if Bogdanovic, Burks, and Achiwua all walk in free agency and find new homes. The one drastic change that the Knicks should pursue would be to trade for another star to counterpart Jalen Brunson at the right cost. If not I think keep this team the same. At the same time, there are three guys I think that would fit perfect on the Knicks right now: Donovan Mitchell, Mikal Bridges, and Devin Booker. 

Knick fans have been manifesting Donovan Mitchell in the Big Apple for years now and after a couple of uneventful years in Cleveland, it could be a real possibility that he is on the move this summer. Mikal Bridges would be yet another Villanova guy coming over to the Knicks and be so impactful for not only the success of this team, but the chemistry as well. Devin Booker I think is a stretch and I feel like it would take a lot to get him, but Booker and Brunson would assert themselves as one of the best duos in the association. 

The plan is simple for this offseason: keep the squad together or go after one of those guys. After years and years of misery, the Knicks finally have a bright future. No need to look at mock drafts or draft lotteries anymore, the Knicks are on the rise and I cannot wait to see what this team shapes out to be in the next couple of seasons. Let's Go Knicks. 

So Many Playoffs

From late April to mid June, the sports world is centered around not one, but two major sport playoffs. The NHL and NBA have both completed their high-intensity first rounds with even more drama to come in the second round as it starts to get underway. 

The NHL and NBA playoffs usually operate around the same time every calendar year but not as close as they have been this year. Cities across the country have multiple teams competing in these playoffs including New York, Boston, Denver, and Dallas making the ratings and viewership even higher. 

I believe that these two playoffs are by far the best out of the 4 major sports. People may argue that the NFL playoffs are better, but personally I prefer seeing a best of seven game series rather than seeing a one game playoff to see who advances. 

The playoffs are all about momentum and who is the hottest at the right time. The regular season is a totally different season and mindset than what the playoffs are. We are seeing a whole new era in the NBA where the younger teams are dominating compared to the teams with ample experience. 

Take the example of the Suns vs Timberwolves series where the Wolves swept the Suns with an emerging superstar in Anthony Edwards. The Suns consisted of one of the best players of all time in Kevin Durant along with Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. We are in a new age in the NBA where you don't always have to pay the big bucks to win. The Suns are once again a prime example of this. 

The NHL playoffs are my favorite playoffs to watch. Across the country obviously the NHL is not the most popular out of the big sports leagues, but once you get tuned into the playoffs, people are very amused. From the big hits to insane saves to clutch goals, the NHL playoffs has it all and no other playoffs can really top that. If you don't like the NHL, turn on the playoffs and then make your decision again. 

The intensity is only rising throughout the NBA and NHL and I am all here for it. Enjoy the playoffs while they last and watch the unforgettable moments and sequences that take place that will have your grandchildren talking about them. 

The Knicks are the #2 Seed!

 

For the first time since the 2012-2013 season, the Knicks have achieved the 50 win total and lock up the number 2 seed in the Eastern Conference! A total rollercoaster ride of a season for New York with tons of devastating injuries and obstacles overcame each and every game day. 

The Knicks came into the season with a very similar team from their 2nd round exit team just a season ago with a couple of minor additions. Then about 30 games into the season the Knicks totally changed the dynamic of their season by trading away two cornerstone pieces, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley. OG Anunoby and Precious Achiwua was the return and they have made their impact well known. 

Anunoby has not been as healthy as the Knicks imagined he would be, but in the 23 games he played the Knicks won 20 of them. Having him healthy in the playoffs as the defensive catalyst and the dominant offensive player he is, is vital towards this team's success. 

The offseason add, that seemed small at the time, of Donte DiVincenzo now looks like one of the biggest steals of this past free agency. DiVincenzo ended the season top 3 in the league for the most three pointers made and average around 16 points per game as the team's starting shooting guard. Nicknamed Divo, Donte has turned into one of my favorite players as well on this year's Knickerbockers. 

The Knicks also made a trade deadline deal to acquire Alec Burks and Bojan Bogdanovic. At the time I was very excited to land two veterans that would give this team very good minutes and shoot the ball very well, but my expectations were wrong. Bogdanovic has come on to play efficiently as of late, but Burks has been a total disappointment to the point where he has been benched. Bogdanovic playing good minutes will be key towards this team's success. 

As the #2 seed, the Knicks will take on the #7 seed, the Philadelphia 76ers. This is a bit of a tough matchup for the Knicks because of the stars which the Sixers have. The Sixers could have been a much higher seed, but the long-term injury to Embiid dropped them very far in the East. Luckily for the Knicks, after watching the Sixers play-in game, Embiid still does not look 100 percent healthy. 

If the Knicks can attack Embiid's vulnerability and capitalize, then they can easily win this series. The Sixers without Embiid have been horrific and having him off the court on the bench will be key. Ultimately, I think the Knicks have a good shot to win this series. Many people are portraying them as the underdog although they are the 2 seed. The series starts tomorrow at the World's Most Famous Arena. 

Deadline Wishlist for the Knicks

The NBA Trade Deadline is just days away and many teams are in need of making a move including the New York Knicks. The Knicks have been one of the hottest teams of late, being 9-1 in their last 10 games, but they are not anywhere near perfect as a roster just yet. 

The Knicks already made one of the biggest trades in the NBA this season when they acquired OG Anunoby from Toronto, but their next move needs to be centered around acquiring another shooter that can play valuable minutes off the bench. 

Once the Knicks are fully healthy again, they have a tremendous starting lineup, but ever since they traded away RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, and also with multiple injuries, their depth has been tested. The only way you can be successful as a team in the NBA is to be able to knock down 3's at a highly consistent rate. 

The perfect guy that comes to mind for the Knicks, who fits Tom Thibodeau's wishlist, is Bruce Brown. Bruce Brown has emerged as a great player throughout his brief time in the NBA and is not only a great defender but is also a decent shooter. Brown was just traded to the Raptors and is currently on a $22.5 million contract so it would take at least a guy like Evan Fournier, who the Knicks are more than willing to give up, to get him. 

Another guy that I have missed since he departed the Knicks a couple of years ago is Alec Burks. Burks is currently on the Pistons and is a lights out shooter. One of the most important things to have as a team besides good three-point shooting is chemistry. Burks is very familiar with a handful of the current Knicks on the team and would make the team chemistry even better than what it is now. Thibs loves bringing in his former guys so maybe we will see Alec back in the orange and blue. 

My third option who I believe would also be great for the Knicks is Malcolm Brogdon. Brogdon is currently on a struggling and young Blazers team that is pretty likely to move him at the trade deadline. Brogdon is not only a great shooter, but a former Boston Celtic until recently when he was traded in the Jrue Holiday deal. His knowledge on the game plan of the Celtics would be an underrated aspect of what he could contribute to the Knicks. 

There have been many rumors circling around the Knicks and LeBron James and while I don't think anything is going to happen here, I would be disappointed if the Knicks went out and landed him. Sure he is one of the best players of all time and is still thriving at age 39, but he totally changes the dynamic of what this team really is. 

This team is built around young guys who love to hustle and fit the Thibs game plan and LeBron would alter that. The other guys that I mentioned don't really change the dynamic of the team too much because they are exactly the types of pieces Tom Thibodeau desires. The time to go after a superstar is in the offseason, not while you are currently one of the hottest teams in the NBA. 

I would consider it a successful trade deadline if the Knicks go out and get a guy like those three that I mentioned that can both shoot the ball at a good percentage and hustle back on defense. I would prefer one of those three guys compared to others, but any move could be beneficial. While I believe it would be vital for the Knicks to make a trade, I would not be surprised if they stand pat come Thursday evening. 

My Thoughts on the Knicks

 

Just under a week ago, the Knicks made a trade to acquire OG Anunoby and shocked many across the NBA. In order to get Anunoby, the Knicks had to give up RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, two players that had played their entire careers with the Knicks until just a couple of days ago.

At first, I was a bit confused with the trade. Seeing two guys that I had grown to love and hate at some points over the years, traded away to a division rival stung quite a bit. But the thing that I needed to focus on was what we were getting back for them in this deal. 

OG Anunoby is the exact guy that Tom Thibodeau wants on his basketball team. He is the definition of a 3 and D player, being both an efficient scorer and suffocating defender as well. The Knicks weren't getting further than they got last season with the same exact team, so obviously they needed to switch something up. 

Trading Immanuel Quickley was a little bittersweet because we all know the player that he can and will pan out to be, but at the end of the day it just had to be elsewhere. He is also on an expiring contract and will be a free agent in the offseason, so at least the Knicks got some value out of him judging if they were unable to re-sign him. 

Barrett was drafted by the Knicks in 2019 and everyone thought he was going to really become a star in New York. Statistically, Barrett had good numbers, but he was very inconsistent and this is what really drove him out of New York. Most athletes do not last very long in New York with the amount of success that the Knicks had with RJ Barrett and now he gets to return home to Canada in Toronto. 

Barrett was also taking on a deal that involved paying him $30 million per year. For the Knicks to get out of that contract I think is a good step in the right direction for them. In Anunoby's first two games with the Knicks, he's looked everything like the player that Thibs wants to coach and more. 

The message that I believe was sent is that after making this deal, the Knicks are not done yet with making deals and this team will experience more changes as we get closer to the trade deadline. I hope OG is very successful with the Knicks and that they are able to extend him and keep him in the Big Apple long term.  

The Pistons are BAD

 

There is no other way to put it, the Detroit Pistons are horrible. They are setting records that are not meant to be set, records that no one would like to be remembered for. Currently the Pistons are 2-28 after just having set the all-time losing streak record of losing 27 games in a row. 

The last time the Pistons made the playoffs was 2019, but you have to go back even further to 2008 for the last time they won a singular playoff game. This franchise has been the doormat of the NBA for quite a while now and it doesn't seem like this will change anytime soon.

This past offseason the Pistons hired Monty Williams as their new head coach, marking the largest coaching contract ever in NBA history. The Pistons are a very young team with their core consisting of many players that have been in the league for a couple of seasons at most. 

You can't blame it on the way this team has been built because look across the league at the Thunder and what they've been able to accomplish with one of the youngest teams as well. Something needs to change with this team and fast, or else they are going to set another record, this time for the most losses in a single season. 

They have a promising young star in Cade Cunningham and the team should run through him. They have to pick it up defensively though. They have been consistently letting teams run all over them, knocking down threes left and right. They have currently played 30 games and in only one of those games did they hold their opponents to less than 100 points scored. 

Change is needed in Detroit and fast. The Pistons have continued to be scrutinized as the laughing stock of the NBA and currently are struggling to simply win a game. Before every game, the goal for each team in the league is to win. The Pistons haven't accomplished their goal since October 28th, 61 days ago. 

Thoughts on the In-Season Tournament

 

The NBA began its inaugural in-season tournament on November 3rd where all thirty teams compete for the new NBA Cup. The NBA is trying to add more intensity and competitiveness from this brand new tournament but what is the real point of it?

At the end of the day, no trophy in the NBA will top the Larry O'Brien Trophy that is given to whatever team wins the NBA Finals. Personally, I am not a fan of this in-season tournament. For starters, a lot of the players aren't well informed about the rules and format of this tournament itself. 

Another thing that I do not like is the courts that are being played on. For every single tournament game, each home team designs their home court to a style which has never been seen before, but for fans and some players it is absolutely blinding. 

Even for myself as a fan, I do not fully understand the format of which this tournament consists of. Every regular season there is 82 games with lots of heated matchups and rivalries to go around, but the NBA wanted to add a tournament on top of that. 

I strongly dislike this new tournament and I believe the NBA should have left the regular season the same and maybe established something new for the offseason. The players will never take this tournament as seriously as if they were competing in the NBA Playoffs for a shot to take home a championship. So again I ask, what's the point of the in-season tournament? 

Preview of the New York Knicks

 

Coming off their most successful season in almost a decade, the Knicks will trot out basically the same team they did a year ago, looking to compete with the best of the best in the Eastern Conference. 

The Knicks took the Eastern Conference champions from a year ago to six games in the semifinals before being eliminated. That concluded their first season with their new leader, Jalen Brunson. Brunson is everything the Knicks could've hoped for out of a guy who they signed to a 4-year contract in the 2022 offseason and is looking to have yet another big season this year. 

The question surrounding the Knicks, and seems to always surround the Knicks, is when will they land the big superstar that New York has been waiting for ever since the departure of Carmelo Anthony. They certainly have the assets both in players and an ample supply of draft picks for years to come. 

Brunson is great and has proven himself as one of the best guards in the league, but he needs some extra help to get this team to their final goal. The surrounding pieces around Brunson consist of most notably Julius Randle, RJ Barrett, and Mitchell Robinson. The core radius of the Knicks is made up of by these four players and although they had great regular seasons, some didn't show up when the brights shined the most. 

What I mean by the brights shined the most is the playoffs. The first round was great and everyone played to their fullest potential to take the series in 5 games from the Cleveland Cavaliers. Then came the struggles in the series against the Heat and we saw how vulnerable this Knicks team can be outside of mainly Jalen Brunson. 

To the eyes of many, the Knicks are caught up in the middle as they are not bad enough to land a good draft pick, but yet not good enough to be labelled a contender. This year they march out essentially the same team besides the subtraction of Obi Toppin and addition of Donte DiVincenzo. DiVincenzo is exactly the type of player this team needed in the series against Miami as he can go out there and be a consistent knockdown three-point shooter. 

The Knicks do indeed have one of the deepest benches in the league with Immanuel Quickley, Isiah Hartenstein, Donte DiVincenzo, and Josh Hart headlining this stacked bench. Those are just a few names in this rotation and DiVincenzo adds to that depth with his acquisition this offseason. 

At the same time, while DiVincenzo does improve this team, he does not make them a contender. So that will be the question this season for the Knicks, when will they pull the trigger and acquire that superstar to pair Jalen Brunson with. There have been many names floating around the Knicks, but no solid discussions have really made their course. 

I'm excited to see if the Knicks make any bold decisions this season and go all in for a guy that can take them to the promise land, or sit back and remain stable as the unit they are now. The Knicks are definitely a playoff team, and can win a series or two, but they are not at that contender level just yet. 

Preview of the Portland Trail Blazers

One of the most talked about teams this offseason, the Portland Trail Blazers will have a whole new look this upcoming season as they look to compete with the best of the best in the West. 

The biggest move that the Blazers made this offseason was trading the face of their franchise, Damian Lillard. Lillard was arguably the best Blazer of all time and dedicated his first 11 years to the franchise but grew unhappy with the organization as he approached his 12th year in Portland. 

The Blazers got a haul back for him as they dealt him to Milwaukee which involved a three-team deal with the Suns as well. They got back DeAndre Ayton, Jrue Holiday, and a couple of first round picks. They then dealt Holiday to Boston for Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams. So in the end the Blazers got the package they wanted in return to add to an already talented roster. 

Their second biggest move this offseason was drafting Scoot Henderson with the number three pick in the draft. Henderson will try to fill the big shoes of Lillard as possibly the next face of the franchise. He certainly has the talent, but lets see if it translates well over to the NBA. 

Portland has been a consistent playoff team throughout this past decade and this will be the first year they are without their leader, but they have a well put together team in his replacement. Their lineup should consist of players like Henderson, Anfernee Simons, Jerami Grant, DeAndre Ayton, Shaedon Sharpe, and some nice bench pieces in Williams and Brogdon as well. 

Don't sleep on the Blazers this season, although they underwent some major changes, it will be interesting to see how well this new team gels together to start a new era of Blazers basketball up in Portland. 

Preview of the Philadelphia 76ers

 

A team that just seems like they can never get it done, the Philadelphia 76ers walk in to the 2023-24 NBA season with a very similar team that they marched out last year. But last year like previous years, they came up short and this time at the hands of the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. 

One major shakeup within the 76ers organization was the firing of Doc Rivers and the hiring of Nick Nurse. Rivers was not the coach for the job and year after year was never able to get it done, so the Sixers decided to hire an in-division coach in Nick Nurse for the job. Nurse won the finals back in 2019 with the Raptors, but just walked into a team that has a lot of drama going on. 

Although the rumors and discussions going on around the league about possible huge shakeups with this Sixers team, nothing has really changed besides the coaching situation. James Harden has wanted out as a Sixer and expressed that in a video that got leaked to social media, but nothing has been done with that situation. 

Year after year, Joel Embiid's frustrations continue to mount as the process continues to be nowhere near completed. Many thought they he could be on the move, but it would take a lot of time and effort to possibly move him elsewhere. 

This is a team that could definitely look very different if they do not meet expectations midseason or potentially try to upgrade during this time. Playing in such a tough Eastern Conference with so many contenders, it is hard for the Sixers to play at this high level consistently and when it matters most come playoff time. 

On paper, the Sixers are one of the best teams in the league, but when it comes to putting it together on the court in the biggest moments, they do not succeed. I believe that this Sixers team will look much different at some point this season with it either being shipping one of their better players such as Embiid or Harden out to a different team, or trying to make a splash and upgrade this team. Whatever it is, the Sixers are going to make headlines this season. 

Blockbuster at Midnight

 

            After the 3-way deal failed to go through the first time, the revamped deal goes through at midnight, with the major headline of the deal being that Kristaps Porzingis is now a Boston Celtic. 

            The deal involved three teams: the Celtics, Grizzlies, and Wizards. Originally, the teams were supposed to be the Celtics, Wizards, and Clippers, but that trade fell through because of injury concerns about the players involved in the deal. 

            The full trade consisted of Porzingis and a couple first-rounders going to Boston, Marcus Smart to the Grizzlies, and Tyus Jones, Danillo Gallinari, and Mike Muscala going to Washington. Certainly a lot of names were involved and all teams landed guys that are going to make a big difference on their new teams. 

            The Celtics obviously needed a change after making the finals last year and losing, then this year losing in the Eastern Conference Finals. They just have kept coming up short. They revamp their team by basically trading away their heart and soul, Marcus Smart, for an all-star in Porzingis totally upgrading this team. 

            The starting lineup for the C's is going to be scary with their new addition, and unlike the Suns who could not afford depth, the Celtics are going to have great depth too. When you think about guys who were originally in the starting lineup like Derrick White and Al Horford now going to the bench as key depth pieces, the Celtics are in really good shape and setup to once again make it out of the East. 

            The bad side of the deal was losing Marcus Smart. Smart has been with Boston his whole career and is one of the best defensive and most emotional players in the game today. Sending him to Memphis is risky in the fact that their defensive game is taking a huge toll, and he is pairing up with fellow defensive player of the year in Jaren Jackson Jr. The Grizzlies could end up being one of the best defensive teams in the NBA with this acquisition.

            As for the Wizards, we knew after they traded away Bradley Beal that they were entering a full rebuild mode. In under a week, they have traded away their two top players for lots of assets for the future of their franchise. Also other top player, Kyle Kuzma, declined his option making him a free agent and no longer a Wizard. We will be seeing a whole new look Wizards team this next year as they look to right the ship in their upcoming rebuild. 

            My rankings of who won the trade are in this order: number 1 is the Celtics, at 2 is the Wizards, and in last is the Grizzlies. The Grizzlies giving up Tyus Jones and draft picks to Boston for essentially Marcus Smart was a bit of an overpay for a player that is good, but not going to turn your franchise around in a way that Porzingis has the ability to. 

            The Wizards are diving headfirst into their rebuild and are fully committed to doing whatever it takes to renovate and revamp the course of this roster. Ever since really John Wall left this team and the injury plague struck them, the Wizards have not been very competitive and knew it was time for a change and that time is now. 

            As for the Celtics, they should be and are now the title favorites in the NBA. Porzingis is not a superstar, but he is exactly what the Celtics need to go all the way for banner number 18. I'm looking forward to the draft tonight and potentially some more blockbusters on the way!